


Untitled Snippet #2

by mithrel



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Blanket Permission, Character Study, Gen, Podfic Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-25
Updated: 2009-05-25
Packaged: 2017-11-13 18:32:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/506448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mithrel/pseuds/mithrel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Conversing with Garak is a lot like dancing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled Snippet #2

As he left his latest lunch with Garak, Bashir reflected again that their interactions were like a dance. He was by nature straightforward, even tactless, but Garak…well Garak was a master of subtlety and shades of meaning.

There were different degrees of truth in everything he said. When he complained about the literature Julian recommended, he assumed he was being mostly honest, although he had a suspicion that Garak wouldn’t admit to liking any Earth literature even if he did, just to annoy him. When he expounded on Cardassian ideals or literature he was being the most honest he ever was, Bashir thought.

He considered their latest conversation. He’d been disturbed by what Garak had been saying. “Are you saying you agree with General Yiri's decision to execute his brother?”

“Of course I agree. Yiri's brother was a traitor to the Trelonian government.” Garak had said this as if it should be self-evident.

“The evidence is all circumstantial,” he’d protested.

“It all comes down to a question of loyalty. My dear Doctor, Yiri had to choose between protecting his brother or protecting the state. He chose the state...as would I, every time.”

That was a warning if Bashir had ever heard one. He fervently hoped that he never came between Garak and the Cardassian state. After all, if he’d sell out his family, he wouldn’t hesitate to sell him out. Nonetheless, he protested.

“I suppose that's one way of looking at it. Then again, ‘Before you can be loyal to another, you must be loyal to yourself.’”

Garak had looked at him tolerantly. “And who can we thank for those misguided words of wisdom? Sarek of Vulcan?”

“Actually, it was Bashir of Earth.”

“With sentiments like those, you wouldn't last five seconds on Cardassia.”

“Would you?”

Garak had grinned at him. “Fishing again, Doctor?” His tone was slightly chiding, the unspoken message clear: _Don’t you ever give up? You know it’s pointless._

“Well, assuming you're not a spy...” he’d begun.

“Assuming?” That one word had more meaning in it than most people could put into several sentences. _You and I both know the truth, and we also know I’ll never admit it, so I‘ll go along with this non-hypothetical situation you’re proposing._

“Then maybe you're an outcast?” He hadn’t really expected a straight answer, not about Garak’s past, and he hadn’t gotten one.

“Or maybe I'm an outcast spy?” he’d suggested brightly.

Bashir had rolled his eyes. “How could you be both?” he asked in disgust.

“I never said I was either.” But Bashir was learning to read between the lines–with Garak you had to look at several levels at once. He didn’t just lie; he told the truth in ways that wouldn’t be believed, and Bashir suspected that that was what he’d just done.

Associating with Garak had made him more discerning. He thought back to last year, when he’d gotten into a verbal fencing match with Dukat over the Cardassian orphans.

Sisko had been livid, but he needed to find something out.

“Isn't it true you were in charge of the evacuation of Bajor?”

Dukat had been suspicious. “Yes, I was...”

“Then it would have been your responsibility to ensure that these orphans were in fact part of the evacuation. Yet you chose to leave them behind...why?

Dukat’s reply was icily polite and menacing. “I did not choose to leave them behind, Doctor. I was ordered to leave them behind.

He had nodded in understanding, then asked, “Ordered? By whom?”

“By the civilian leaders. They...”

He’d interrupted him, politely, as if he had been misinformed of something. “Excuse me. But if I understand the Cardassian political system, the civilian leaders have no direct authority over military officers.”

“Who's been tutoring you in Cardassian social studies, Doctor?” There had been a sharp undercurrent to the question, a warning.

“Your old friend–Garak.”

“Well the perhaps you should remind my old friend Garak the withdrawal of Bajor was a decision made by the civilian leaders–one which I clearly opposed–and, yes, they were the ones who made the decision to leave the orphans behind. A decision I've regretted ever since. Thank you for your concern, Doctor. Good day, Commander.” He’d shut off the transmission without another word.

“He’s lying.” The words had been smooth, practiced, but nonetheless a lie.

“Is that an opinion, or do you have evidence to support it?” Sisko hadn’t let his irritation at the doctor’s interruption show.

“I have Garak.”

“Garak.” Sisko had repeated, inviting him to elaborate.

“He thinks there's more going on here than we realize.”

“What exactly does he think is going on?” Sisko had asked.

“I'm not sure,” he’d confessed. “He doesn't really tell me what he really thinks...I sort of have to...deduce it.”

Sisko had nodded in understanding. “So, you ‘deduced’ that Garak thinks Dukat is lying about something you're not sure of...and you proceeded to interrupt my conversation to confront him about whatever that might be.”

“I'm sorry, Commander. It-it just seemed an opportune...”

“Don't apologize. It's been the high point of my day.” He’d paused, then added, “Don't do it again.”

But Dukat had been lying, and he and Garak had managed to resolve the situation. Bashir wondered whether, if Garak hadn’t said anything, he would have realized something was going on. Possibly. He was getting better at reading between the lines. He’d had to, to keep up with Garak’s elaborate fabrications. In the last two years his thinking had become decidedly more Cardassian, almost despite himself. Garak, of course, hadn’t picked up any human characteristics from him. But he hadn’t known him all that long. It was still possible that it could happen.


End file.
